Re[2]: IBM pushing Java

     Just my opinion, but I for one would MUCH rather see an 
     over-commented program than an under-commented one. Personally, I 
     do not believe that "self-documenting" languages are ever truly 
     self-documenting. Sure, some folks get a little carried away, but 
     its always easier to remove redundant comments than to decipher 
     logic from sourcecode. 
     
     eric.delong@pmsi-services.com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: RE: IBM pushing Java 
Author:  <MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com > at INET_WACO
Date:    3/22/99 12:50 PM


> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jeff Crosby [mailto:jlcrosby@fwi.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 22, 1999 12:01 PM
> To: MIDRANGE-L@midrange.com
> Subject: Re: IBM pushing Java
> 
> 
> Colin Williams wrote:
>  
> > I here what your saying, but I've worked at sites before 
> where they are
> > so busy fighting fires, that updating of the documentation 
> falls by the
> > wayside!!
> 
> And the other side of that is the assumption that just because
> documentation exists, that it will actually be read.
> 

And one step further, that the documentation acutally means something or is
residual garbage comments from a previous version.

If java is so "good" that would mean that it's "self-documenting".  I've
played with JavaScript (which I'm guessing is similar to Java) and I have to
admit it is fun and "self-documenting".  I was able to "guess" attributes
(ie this.name, this.value, etc) after getting the basic jist of the
language.

Even RPG is, to a point.  There are some commenting habits that drive me up
a wall and are deleted right away... ie

C*   If the customer number = 99999 then add one to the counter
C                        if                (CustNo = 99999)
C                 eval                 Counter = (Counter + 1)
C                 endif

If you can't read the code (I would wager than at least 85% of all code is
"readable" to a point), then you probably shouldn't be programming.
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